Recruitment
by Leasel P
Summary: It's Agent Michael Carter, I'm with SHIELD. We think you would make a remarkable SHIELD Agent Miss May. Pre-series. Ever wonder how Melinda May joined SHIELD? Or what her life was like before she joined?
1. Michael Carter

Ever wonder how May got recruited to work of SHIELD? I do! I would really like to know! Coulson hinted that May might have been similar to Skye when she was younger so I thought I'd have a go at writing about how I believe May became an Agent of SHIELD and her life before SHIELD.

So when I picture a younger May I picture her with Roy Harper off Arrow! The looks, the personality and the bad boy lifestyle. I really don't know why but I love the idea of it! So I've used him as the inspiration for Mays boyfriend but he is not the same character as Roy from Arrow.

This is now my second multi-chapter story of Agents of SHIELD (I don't know whats happening to me, i never do multi-chapter stories)

Enjoy :)

* * *

May pulled her jacket tight around her, pushing the glass doors open and stepping out into the icy New York winter. Shoving her hands deep into her pockets she began to walk home, keeping her head down, hoping to get there as fast as she could. Her day had been hell, she hated working in an office, hated the people she was working with and hated all the office gossip that she couldn't seem to escape. They thought she was weird because she refused to join in their childish activities, she still had a slight accent and her proper upbringing came through despite her best efforts to hide it.

People passed her by, paying no attention. She liked the anonymity that came with living in such a large city. You were always just another face, no one of importance, no one to take notice of.

Rounding the corner, May was met with a swift punch to her abdomen followed by a blow to the head. She recovered quickly, blocking the next punch and getting off a few of her own. From behind she felt a pair of hands grab her by the hair and throw her to the ground, pinning her down while the other mans fist connected with her face once again. She made an attempt to kick him, temporarily shocking him for long enough to get him off her. She prepared for another blow but it didn't come, they just laughed at her.

"Didn't know Roy's girl could fight." One of them said to the other. May felt sick, her vision was blurring and she could barely stand straight but she could just make out what they were saying. She could make out one name.

"You tell him for us, he pays up or we come back and next time we won't leave you looking so pretty."

It took all Mays self control not to bite back. She knew she couldn't defend herself if they decided to keep going, her best option was to keep quiet and get home. Waiting until they were out of sight she released a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. She had been in many fights before but never had she felt so scared. So much for being invisible.

Pushing the hair off her face she felt the pain in her body start to set in. It was a short distance home, one she basically ran the whole way. Pausing at the door to wipe the remaining blood off her face, May pushed it open with all the force she could manage.

"That you Mel?" Roy came out of the kitchen, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw her. "What happened to you?" Closing the space between them May caught him off guard when she slapped him across the face.

"What the hell did you do?!"

"What? Me?"

"They said you pay up or they will be back. Now why would you need to pay anyone huh Roy?"

"Mel I can explain." Roy said, taking a step towards May, his eyes pleading with her as she moved backwards.

"Like hell you can, you said no more! You promised me you were done. Yet here I am, do you see what they did to me? Do you even care?" May knew she had pushed it too far with her last comment. Of course he cared, he loved her but she was too angry to think straight right now. She sighed as she watched him pace the room before heading to the front door.

"Where are you going?"

"To deal with this!" Before she could stop him he was out the door.

Grabbing her coat and a bottle of beer, she went out and sat on the front porch. It was now late; most people had retired for the night so the streets were empty, the only sounds coming for the homeless man on the corner. The coolness of the beer on her split lip felt amazing, the pounding of her head becoming nearly unbearable. Closing her eyes, May rested her head against the cushions, trying to fight the dizziness she was experiencing.

"You're quite a fighter."

Mays head snapped around the gate where a man was standing.

"You fight dirty though."

"Who the hell are you?" She wasn't in the mood to be hit on by some creep who thought it was appropriate to approach her in her yard so late at night.

"Michael Carter."

"Well Michael Carter, get the hell off my property." May prided herself on her ability to intimidate people when she wanted. Despite her size she knew she could project a fierce, no bullshit attitude that usually got her what she wanted. Tonight she could see that was not the case; he didn't even flinch.

"Actually it's Agent Michael Carter. I'm with SHIELD."

"Never heard of it."

"We like to keep a low profile. Gives us a degree of freedom in our operations."

"Whatever." Placing the empty beer bottle to the side she stood and made her way towards the door. Obviously she wasn't going to get any peace, the cold finally seeping through her coat.

"We know who you are however."

Turning to properly look at him May took him in. He was dressed in a black leather jacket and denim jeans, a small smile play on his lips.

"Who am I?" Normally she would have told him off, never would she continue to interact with a strange man claiming to know her. She was raised better than that, raised to be carefull, take precautions but tonight had proved that wasn't always possible.

"You're Melinda May, you're strong, smart, highly independent, you can fight, you can fly, hell I reckon there is pretty much nothing you couldn't do."

"My face would say otherwise."

"You fight dirty, undisciplined, but that can be corrected. We can fix that."

May frowned "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I think you would make a remarkable SHIELD agent."

May laughed, shaking her head at the absurdity of the situation.

"I will never work for such an organization. Now if you don't mind, leave me the hell alone."

"Call me when you change your mind." Michael said with a cocky smile that annoyed May.

Taking the card he was holding out to her, she tore it in half before handing it back to him. She gave him a sweet smile before making her way back up into the house, slamming the door behind her.


	2. Home Sick

This is a shorter chapter because I didn't really want to focus too much on May and Roy but I felt that the state and circumstances surrounding their relationship needed to be addressed before May had any more interaction with Michael Carter.

I'm not really sure if I'm going to continue this story or not. I'm not getting into it as much as I usually do and from what I can see neither are you guys. The next two chapters are written so I'll post them and then decided.

Enjoy and thanks for reading :)

* * *

"How much do you owe them?" May asked, cradling Roys head in her lap as she dabbed antiseptic on his cuts. He didn't answer though she could see the guilt and worry clear in his eyes; flinching as she pushed a little harder than necessary on one cut.

"Jesus Mel."

"Sorry" She said sheepishly. "Roy how much?"

"Five thousand dollars." He said without making eye contact.

"Five thousand! I don't even want to know how you owe them so much!" May screamed, rolling her eyes and pushing him off her. Heading to the bathroom she closed the door behind her and slipped into the shower, relishing the feeling of the warm water soothing her aching body.

She was so mad at Roy, they had been in America less than 6months and he was already falling back into bad habits, owing people more money than either of them could afford. She could think of a hundred things she would rather do with that much money. May was over living the poor life; worrying about whether or not they would have enough to make rent this month, constantly thinking about where the money for bills and groceries would come from. Never had May experienced stress quite like this and now she had to be on constant alert, worried that some of Roys 'friends' would be paying her another visit.

Sighing May closed her eyes and let the water run over her body. She knew it wasn't going to be easy when she left her family, and as much as she hated to admit it, the way her father had completely cut her out of their lives when she did had deeply hurt her. She'd give anything to be able to pick up the phone and call her sister. She missed her the most and was struggling being so far away from her, not being able to contact her at all. She worried about how her mother would be treating her or the rules her father must now have imposed on the youngest May as a consequence for Melinda's actions. May knew all of this magnified the problems she was experiencing with Roy, but she had ran halfway across the world with him because she loved him, and the life they were living was not the life he had promised her; it was not what she had dreamed of when she was lying in his arms in the safety of her parents house.

Shutting the water off, May dried herself, putting on clean clothes before walking back into the bedroom. Roys back was to her but she knew he was not sleeping. He was smart and had learnt a long time ago that when May was angry she was best left alone.

Slipping into bed, May stared at the ceiling for a long time, just listening to the sounds from outside. The sun was starting to come up and she knew she would have to go to work in a few hours, despite the overwhelming desire to stay in bed all day and hide. Roys' hand found hers under the blanket but she did not move.

"We are going to be okay Melinda, I promise you."

May didn't respond, she just lay there fighting off the tears. This was the first time since coming to america that she had truly felt homesick.


End file.
